- Black Forest cake, known in German as Schwarzwaelder Kirsch torte, originated in the Black Forest region of southern Germany. - No one is sure when the recipe was first developed but it probably happened sometime in the late 16th century when chocolate was first introduced to the region. - Black Forest cake derives its characteristic chocolate-cherry flavor from the addition of Kirsch or Kirshwasser, a double distilled clear cherry brandy. The inhabitants of the Black Forest make this Kirsch fro